Dispensing container



' March 28, lsirssi R. NYDEN DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed May 24, 1938 II N Mn 1 Patented Mar. 28, 1 939 DISPENSING CONTAINER Robert Nyden, New York, N. Y., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 24, 1938, Serial No. 209,818

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in dispensing containers, and more particularly to improvements in a dispensing container having a closure which is shiftable in opposite directions from an intermediate closing position in order to selectively control a plurality of dispensing openings.

An object of the invention is to provide a dispensing container of the above type; wherein the closure includes inner and outer closure members which are resiliently maintained in contact with the respective faces of the container top.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dispensing container of the above type, wherein the container top is provided with spaced dispensing openings and with an elongated slot between the dispensing openings, and wherein the closure members are secured through the slot which serves to guide the closure members in their movement to various positions.

A still further object of the invention is to will in part be obvious, and will be hereinafter more fully pointed out. 1

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure l is a fragmentary side view, in section, showing a container with the closure means in an intermediate or closedposition.

Figure 2 is a top plan view showing the closure means in a position for permitting dispensing of the contents of the container through one of the dispensing openings.

Figure 3 is a similar top plan view, showing, in dotted lines, the position of the closure means when the opposite dispensing opening is uncovered.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, the container is illustrated as including a body portion II] having an outward bead II spaced from the upper edge thereof. The can top I2 is provided with a depending flange I3 55 which fits over the body portion I0 and abuts resilient material for maintaining the closure,

against the outward bead II. It is to be clearly understood that the can top I2 may be secured to the body portion ID in any suitable manner. For purposes of illustratiomthe container is illustrated as being substantially rectangular in shape. The can top I2 is provided with a substantially horizontal portion I2a and an upwardly bowed central portion I4, which is provided with an outwardly ofiset portion I5. This outwardly offset portion I5 is outwardly curved and forms an internal recessthereunder and the wall portion I6 joining the portions I4 and I5 of the can top defines an internal shoulder. The outwardly offset portion I5 is provided with transversely extending dispensing openings I'T,

Ila, at opposite ends thereof. Between the dispensing openings I'I, IIa there is a longitudinal slot I8 extending through the offset portion I5. The portions I8a, I81) of the offset portion I5 serve to separate the ends of the slot I8 from the dispensing openings I'I, Ho.

The closure means for the container includes an outer closure member I9 which may be provided with a knurled or roughened outer finger engaging surface 20. The outer closure mem ber thus forms a knob and may be made of Bakelite or other suitable material. The inner surface of the knob I9 is curved to conform to the curvature of the outwardly offset portion I5 onthe can top I2. The knob I9 is provided with a depending central boss 2I which is of substantially the thickness of the metal forming the offset portion I5. This boss 2| is illustrated as being rectangular in shape so :Ias to snugly fit within. the slot I8 in the outwardly offset portion I5. Thus, the boss 2I serves as a guide for theclosure member I9 and also as a spacer for an inner spring closure member 22 which is secured thereto by a screw 23 or the like. The inner spring closure member is adapted to normally underlie the dispensing openings I'I, I'Ia and slot I8 in the offset portion I5, as shown in Figure 1. member 22 are turned downwardly, as at 24, and these edges abut'against the internal shoulder formed by the joining wall portion I6. The outer closure member is dimensioned so as to overlie the dispensing openings I'I, Ila and the slot I8 when in the intermediate position, shown in Figure 1.

spring closure member 22 cooperate with the internal shoulder beneath the wall portion I6 to center and locate the, closure members in the intermediate closing position. When in this intermediate closing position, the edges 24 of the Thus, the edges 24 of the inner I The edges of the inner spring closure inner closure member 22 also serve to prevent accidental movement of the closure members.

When it is desired to uncover one of the openings l1, Ila for dispensing a portion of the contents of the container, finger pressure may be applied to the surface of the outer"closure member I9 for shifting both closure members in unison. When the closure members are shifted to the position shown in Figure 2, the inner closure member 22 will ride; over the inner shoulder of the wall portion l6 and the dispensing opening I! will be'uncovered." Finger pressure in the oppo,-

site direction on the outer closure member I9 will efiect uncovering of the dispensing opening I la in substantially the same manner.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the closure members I9, 22 are secured together for movement in unison from an intermediate closed position to one of two opening positions. The depending boss 2| on the outer closure member I9 cooperates with the edges of the slot la in the outwardly offset portion l to guide the closure members for rectilinear movement only. The ihnerspring closure member 22 serves to properly center the closure members in their intermediate position for closing the dispensing'openin'gs and also serves to prevent accidental movementofthe closure members from this closed position. The closure members are limited in their. movement to either of the open portions by engagement of the boss 2| with the portion |8a or I8b. Thus, when the dispensing opening I! is uncovered, the depending boss 2| will abut against the portion |8a. Similarly,- When the dispensing opening lla is uncovered,

, the depending boss 2| will abut against the poropenings in the intermediate position thereof, an

- ing from the scope of the invention-as set fort closure member overlying said slot and said dispensing openings, in, the intermediate position thereof, a spring member abutting against the inner face of said can top, one. of said'members having a boss snugly fittingthe side walls of said slot for guiding said members for rectilinear movement, and means extending through said boss for connecting said members for movement in unison for uncovering one or they other of said dispensing openings.

" 2. A dispensing container comprising a bodyportion, a can top therefor having aslot and' a dispensing opening at each end,,an outer closure member overlying said slot and said dispensing inner spring closure member abutting against the inner face of .said'can top, one of said closure members having a boss extending through said slot and contacting .with the side edges thereof for guiding the said closure members for rectilinear movement, through said boss for, connecting the said closure members for movement in unison for uncovering one or the other of said dispensing openings.

3. A dispensing container comprising a body portion, a can top therefor having a slot and a dispensing opening at each end thereof, an outer closure member overlying said slot and said dispensing openings in the intermediate position and means extending offset central portion defining an internal recess thereunder, said outwardly offset portion being provided with a slot and a dispensing opening at each end thereof, an outer closure member overlying said slot and said dispensing openings in the-intermediate position thereof, spring means abutting against the inner face of said can top and normally disposed within the recess beneath said outwardly offset portion for maintaining said outer closure member in its.intermediate position, and means extending through said slot for connecting said spring means with said closure member, said connecting means cooperating the edges of said slot for causing rectilinear movement of said closure member and said spring means in unison for uncovering one or the other of said dispensing openings.

5. A dispensing container comprising a body portion, a can top therefor having an outwardly --oifset central portion defining an internal recess thereunder, said outwardly offset portion being provided with a slot and a dispensing opening at each end thereof, anouter closure member overlying said slot and said dispensing openings in the intermediate position thereof, an inner spring closure member abutting against the inner face of said-can top and normally disposed within the recess beneath said outwardly offset portion underlying said slot and said dispensing openings for maintaining the outer closure member in a closed position, and means extending through said slot for connecting said inner closure member to said outer closure member, said connecting means cooperating with the edges of said slot for causing rectilinear movement ,of both said closure members in unison for uncovering one or the other of said dispensing openings.

6. A dispensing container comprising a body portion, a can. top therefor having an outwardly offset central portion defining an internal recess thereover, said outwardly offset portion being provided with a slot and a dispensing opening at each end thereof, an outer closure member overlying said slot andsaid dispensing openings in the intermediate position thereof and having a depending boss extending into said slot and snugly fitting against the edges thereof, an inner spring closure member abutting against the inner face of said can top and normally disposed within the recess beneath said outwardly offset portion underlying said slot and said dispensing openings for maintaining the outer closure member in a closed position, and means connecting said inner closure member with said depending" boss for I causing rectilinear movement of both s aid closure members in unison for uncovering one or the other of said dispensing openings.

"7. A dispensing container comprising abody portion, a can top therefor, said can top having spaced dispensing openings and an intermediate longitudinal slot terminating short of the dispensing openings for providing stop means, an

outer closure member overlying said slot and said dispensing openings in the intermediate position through said' boss for connecting said closure members for movement in unison for uncovering one or the other of said dispensing openings, said boss being adapted to abut against the can top at the ends of said slot for limiting move- 5 ment of the closure members in either direction.

ROBERT NYDEN. 

